


or it's gonna go down in flames

by Linzer



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: English aint my first language so sorry in advance, i was prompted to write Astrid dragging on Caleb and who am i to refuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:35:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21850801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linzer/pseuds/Linzer
Summary: just a little drabble of the Astrid-Caleb first meeting. (actually just an excuse to write about murder wife being a bad bitch)
Relationships: Astrid/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	or it's gonna go down in flames

He was here. The looming shape of the manor _she_ resided in quickly caused his determination to squander. Why was he here again? He was grasping at the conviction he felt the day before – he wanted to meet her on his terms. In two days he ran into two ghosts of his past and neither times was he prepared for it. Drenched in monster muck, his own blood and cold sweat, trapped by social conformities, and what’s worse – surrounded by his friends. They provided him with the support he still feels undeserving but is very appreciative of. Over the past months he had to come to the realisation that they became like a new family to him. What started off as a way to hide behind a bunch of loud idiots turned into a silent agreement of going to lenghts just to protect the happiness of all of them. And that is dangerous. Caleb knows very well what attachments are for people like him, and the thought sent shivers down his spine.

This is why he has to do this alone, he steeled himself. Worst case scenerio, his life ends on the marble floors of a mansion in Rexxentrum. The chapter closing where it started. But that would mean the Mighty Nein is alright. That they can proceed with protecting the realms unbothered by his past mistakes coming to haunt them. That was good enough for him.

The polished brass knocker sent out a heavy sound, and he quickly retracted his hand. His thoughts still raced back and forth when the gates opened. He was expecting a doorman, a maid, something that the letter that he had in his coat pocket indicated, but stepping in the entrance hall was empty. It was a tall building with corridors running to the left and right, in front a dual staircase leading to a door – a door that opened with a slow squeek, shining a widening streak of light into the room.

„I was waiting for you.” rang a voice softly echoed by the tall walls.

Short, dark hair, confident stature, brown eyes that could fill you with warmth of the summer or freeze the blood in your veins, clad in black leather from head to toe, wearing the same sash he saw on Eodwulf.

Astrid.

Caleb felt stunned. The time he spent in the asylum got etched into his mind once more after seeing her. She was an adult woman, the same, but also starkly different from the last time he saw her. The memory of that night was something he had to repress right away. This is Astrid, the Astrid that spent a decade under Trent Ikithon to become the perfect asset in herding the masses to believe what the Assembly wants. Weakness is not a luxury he can allow himself in this situation.

By the time he somehow got to himself, she arrived at the foot of the stairs taking measured steps towards him.

„I heard you made quite an entrance in Rexxentrum. You were always the dramatic one Bren. Seems like there are a lot of things that time doesn’t change.”

Caleb found himself unable to say anything, so he quietly pulled out her response letter, now crumpled with unidentified liquids spotting it.

Her face instantly pulled into a delighted smile. „Oh, that thing! I have to be honest, your friends were quite close to losing their lives in an… unfortunate accident. You have to understand, receiving a letter of inheritence adressed to your school after you’ve worked so hard to erase the traces of your exitence was… to simply put, foolish and dangerous.”

„But luckily our intelligence revealed an important information about this merry band. _You._ We couldnt’t be sure about it for a while, but after your extremely touching speech to the _Bright Queen_ about being _traitors to the Empire_ , I was sure that it can only be you. So, I left you an open invitation. You are smart Caleb, you always were – the words sounding suddenly bitter – but you have one fatal flaw. You can’t control your emotions. So they ate you alive.”

„Oh, silly me. I thought that was just my memory being modified. Turns out the problem was that I was _human.”_ His sarcastic tone lost it’s edge with his voice breaking at the end that made her smile even more. He’s playing into her cards. He always has.

„And now we had to hold off of killing you and your friends and tying a lot of loose threads as you became too important of a pawn to attempt it. You know how he is, if someone is an asset, they shall be used accordingly.”

Her words sounded like honey and stung like posion. She was every bit as Caleb feared her to be.

She turned her back on him and took a few steps forward, clasping her hands behind her back. She doesn’t feel threathened. Why should she? He walked into her trap willingly. They both knew that.

„I have to admit though, you surprised me. After being so vehemently against the Mater’s teachings and ideas, you went ahead and did all the things he taught us. You got yourself a group to get lost in. People who would get hit before you do, so you can comfortably do your thing in the background and get all the praise. – She turns around to face him, the smile faded from her lips, but her eyes showing glipses of her malevolence.

„I know you must have had your reasons. You always did. Twisting the words until they fit our narrative is an occupational hazard in our midst afterall. I’m also sure that you know you used them. But it’s different now, you might think. I help them! Except, your mere existence is a threat to them. Do they know who’s the one that they would go into _fire for_?”

While Bren knew his way with words, especially on his mother language, his voice escaped him. A shriek pounded in his head. _„Is she wrong?”_

„You really are a selfish one, Bren. You hate yourself, yet you refuse to take responsibility. You push others before yourself to cover your weakness, and the first time you had to face things head on, you _broke_.”

„I sacraficed everything for this, and I did so willingly. I was stronger than you, we both were. We supported him every way he required. And yet… The past months had been nothing but „Bren – Bren – Bren”. "Why are you here? Not to change me, you know you can’t. Are you looking for a sick sense of satisfaction? The feeling of gloat that you didn’t become like me? A failed attempt at coming to redeem me to ease your conscience? Or just an easy way out, throwing yourself at the wolves? Which one is it?”

"Well, not like it matter – she cut in, not waiting for a response. „You won’t get that. You got away with a lot my darling, but this game… It’s going to be played by my rules.”


End file.
